Policy development

Retrofit Services Manager, Kaitlin Carroll discusses an upcoming heat pump installation with Toronto Community Housing residents. Photo by Nhan Ng Productions

Extreme heat bylaws: Perspectives from our retrofit services manager

10/2024 - Our latest retrofit diary from Kaitlin Carroll, Retrofit Services Manager, offers practical considerations and explores how thoughtful planning can ensure extreme heat bylaws benefit both building owners and tenants.

Calling on cities to protect a clean electricity future

3/2024 - On February 16, the federal government released a discussion paper, proposing several changes to the CER. While some of these would provide helpful flexibility in the regulation, altogether they would represent a significant undermining of the policy. Municipalities have a powerful influence and can support the CER in three ways.

A new building policy approach that’s working

11/2023 - Existing building performance has been historically challenging to regulate, but that’s changing with the recent proliferation of mandatory building performance standards (BPS) across North America.

Doug Ford’s new housing bill guts green building law he voted for as Toronto councillor, say critics

11/2022 - TORONTO STAR - "The Building More Homes Faster Act includes clauses that will inadvertently make future homes more unaffordable and less efficient for Ontarians," says Bryan Purcell.

Ontario’s next gas plant scandal

10/2022 - On October 7th, Ontario’s Minister of Energy directed the IESO to procure 1,500 megawatts of new natural gas plants to generate electricity. This decision was taken without any public consultation, based on a short IESO report with no financial analysis or comparison of other pathways. Amidst increasing fossil fuel prices and plummeting costs of readily available clean solutions, investing in new gas plants would be environmentally and fiscally reckless. But it’s not a done deal.

For 2 years, climate resources shifted in COVID-19. Now, cities like Hamilton look to get on track

4/2022 - CBC HAMILTON - In Hamilton, groups like EH and Hamilton 350 say that over the past two years, the city has fallen behind on its plans to combat climate change — and it's time to get on track

Ontario Election 2022: Key climate action priorities

4/2022 - Ontario election is just 6 weeks away - ample time to influence the parties’ climate action platforms. Get tools and inspiration on what to ask the candidates.

Climate and affordability depend on these essential building code updates

3/2022 - Ontario’s building code is only updated every five to seven years, so we can’t afford to miss this opportunity to reduce carbon emissions by building better buildings that are cleaner and more affordable to operate. Read our recommendations to align it with an affordable, net zero future.

Three key climate measures for Toronto’s 2022 budget

2/2022 - Council will vote on the City Budget this Thursday: what do we want to see most? To continue its role as a climate leader, Toronto needs to shift to implementation in top three climate priority areas: Climate Lens Policy, electrification of public bus fleets, and green development standards.

Toronto needs to speed up its electric vehicle infrastructure to meet targets, critics say

8/2021 - CBC - The city's aiming to install 10,000 public charging ports by 2030. A pilot project launched last year has seen the city install 17 on-street charging stations, but far more ambitious policies are needed to convince residents to buy in, said TAF's Ian Klesmer.

Why Canadians need the clean fuel standard

12/2020 - The clean fuel standard establishes a practical and predictable approach for removing 30 million tonnes of carbon every year without affecting daily life.

On the path to recovery: how to “lock in” climate solutions

3/2020 - Achieving carbon neutrality will require leaving no stone unturned, no building un-retrofitted, and no emission reduction opportunity ignored.